troymail
Silent Key
Since getting my 436 and 536 back from repairs and I now can actually see/read the display, I decided to give myself a late Christmas/birthday present and picked up a Uniden BC-GPSK GPS.
On the first use of the GPS with the 436 - parked in my driveway, I set everything up and told the scanner to Auto Locaiton. The 436 responded with my approximate location of Anne Arundel, MD. Ok, that was correct.
The next morning, I plugged everything back in and told the radio to Auto Locate again and I started driving to work. 5 minutes later (??) the radio displayed it thought i was in Baltimore City -- not even close. So I pressed NO and it went along again for about another 4-5 minutes and finally figured out I was in Anne Arundel County. Unfortunately, I was at work by that point...
Today, I decided to take a road trip across several counties. Upon leaving, I selected Auto Locate and starting driving. I went probably 10 miles before the radio display "can't determine your location - try another method" or something to that affect. WTF?
I kicked it off again and eventually it determined I was in Anne Arundel County (again) -- just in time to drive into another county.
As I drove - and planning with the Range setting - I was hearing some of the system(s) activity I expected but not others (the WS1098 was also running and hearing things not being heard on the 436). I wasn't using the Full Database but rather a favorites list I created from the latest database. The favorites list contains all trunked systems and conventional frequencies for the county public safety agencies across my state (23 counties). Location control for the favorites list is enabled.
Upon reaching my planned turn around point, I stopped and tried to start over using the full database.
So, I turned everything off and started over. I was parked in Cecilton Maryland and sent the 436 and GPS off searching again. It's first location it reported I was at was Chester PA (not even close). I said NO and after a bit it said I was in New Castle DE (closer but still a big miss), then it said I was in Queen Anne MD (seems to be "gong around" me) - then it said Kent MD (closer but still wrong).
All of this really makes me wonder how well this combination of radio and GPS really works... clearly not well. Maybe I should have spent the extra for a Garmin...
Anyone else had similar experiences? Suggestions? I'm taking another road trip next weekend but at this point, I'm wondering if it is really worth trying this thing again (I'll just go back to my QKs).
On the first use of the GPS with the 436 - parked in my driveway, I set everything up and told the scanner to Auto Locaiton. The 436 responded with my approximate location of Anne Arundel, MD. Ok, that was correct.
The next morning, I plugged everything back in and told the radio to Auto Locate again and I started driving to work. 5 minutes later (??) the radio displayed it thought i was in Baltimore City -- not even close. So I pressed NO and it went along again for about another 4-5 minutes and finally figured out I was in Anne Arundel County. Unfortunately, I was at work by that point...
Today, I decided to take a road trip across several counties. Upon leaving, I selected Auto Locate and starting driving. I went probably 10 miles before the radio display "can't determine your location - try another method" or something to that affect. WTF?
I kicked it off again and eventually it determined I was in Anne Arundel County (again) -- just in time to drive into another county.
As I drove - and planning with the Range setting - I was hearing some of the system(s) activity I expected but not others (the WS1098 was also running and hearing things not being heard on the 436). I wasn't using the Full Database but rather a favorites list I created from the latest database. The favorites list contains all trunked systems and conventional frequencies for the county public safety agencies across my state (23 counties). Location control for the favorites list is enabled.
Upon reaching my planned turn around point, I stopped and tried to start over using the full database.
So, I turned everything off and started over. I was parked in Cecilton Maryland and sent the 436 and GPS off searching again. It's first location it reported I was at was Chester PA (not even close). I said NO and after a bit it said I was in New Castle DE (closer but still a big miss), then it said I was in Queen Anne MD (seems to be "gong around" me) - then it said Kent MD (closer but still wrong).
All of this really makes me wonder how well this combination of radio and GPS really works... clearly not well. Maybe I should have spent the extra for a Garmin...
Anyone else had similar experiences? Suggestions? I'm taking another road trip next weekend but at this point, I'm wondering if it is really worth trying this thing again (I'll just go back to my QKs).
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